10 Things To Do Every Day to Make You Feel Great

How would you like to feel great every day?

Image

Wouldn't it be lovely to start your day feeling motivated and end your day feeling as though you've really achieved something?


Well, here are my top tips for doing exactly that. I try to stick to these every day and it really does make a difference to the way I feel. I'm not saying that I never get annoyed or fed up or feel unmotivated - that would be unrealistic and it's all part of being human but generally I find that if I set myself these small tasks every day and stick to them as best I can, my day usually goes pretty well.

So here we go with my top 10 things that will make you feel great.

• SLEEP - this may seem obvious but very few of us get the amount of sleep we need to keep us healthy and happy. Too little sleep is not good for you but did you know that having too much sleep is just as bad? There is an optimum number of hours that each individual needs to sleep to stay happy and healthy both mentally and physically and so achieving a good sleep routine is important so that you wake up in the morning feeling relaxed and refreshed. Click here for a great article on the importance of sleep

• STRETCH - I love stretching and the first thing I do every morning and at various times through out the day (making sure no-one is watching) is to stretch. Stretching is very good for you believe it or not. It reduces muscle tension and increases joint movement and it increases the circulation of the blood which in turn increases energy levels. Very often I get my singing students to do stretching exercises before we get started on a lesson. They always feel better after it. Make sure you consciously stretch every part of your body from your neck, to the tips of your fingers, to the ends of your toes but REMEMBER if anything hurts or twinges - STOP. Pain is the body's way of letting you know something is wrong. 

• SMILE - Every day I try to smile at as many people as possible especially strangers in the street. It's a great feeling when they smile back and their faces light up and I always think to myself that there's a chance that I may be the only person who smiles at them all day. Did you know however, that smiling also has many health benefits? Not only that but it makes you look younger and more attractive and that's got to be a good thing. If you want to find out more about why you should be smiling today, click here.

• READ A MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE AND STICK TO IT - Each day I pick a motivational quote from a book and I try to stick to it throughout the day. My favourites come from some books that I have by Richard Wilkins. Most pages only have one or two lines of text but they really make you think. Examples are "All thoughts need your permission" or "Who sees the game more clearly, the spectator, or the player desperate to win?"

• EXERCISE - Exercise is so good for you that I could do an entire blog (and there are many out there) on the benefits of exercising. It makes you a happier, healthier person and the benefits range from boosting your immune system to improving your sleep patterns, improving you memory and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Goodness me it even relieves constipation! Why would you not do it? Do what you can every day. Take the stairs, go for a walk at lunchtime, cycle, dance, swim, use you Wii, walk the dog...there are so many ways to exercise that there's just no excuse for not doing it. Exercising releases endorphins which are the body's natural 'feel good' chemicals. Want to feel great? Get some exercise!

• POWER NAP - Power napping also makes you feel great. Power napping has so many benefits that some companies now actively encourage their employees to have a nap during the working day as it has been proven that it increases productivity. It took me a while to perfect that art of power napping but believe me, it's a skill worth having. If you would like to find out how to do it and what the benefits are, click here to read an in depth article.

• RELEASE TENSION - Before any of my students start their lessons I ask them to scan their bodies for tension. I can often see it even though they can't feel it. Very often being tense in the neck, shoulders, legs etc has become the 'norm' and most people go through life without realising that they could feel much better if they learned to let the tension go. So, whether you are sitting or standing, scan your body from your head to your toes. I can guarantee that you will be tense somewhere. The shoulders and the back of the neck are common areas. Wherever you feel tension, let it go. Allow the muscles to relax. Let your shoulders drop. Let the back of your neck relax. Unclench you jaw. Unlock your knees. There are many more areas where you will find tension and once you learn to let it go you will feel much better. Do this several times throughout the day and eventually you will become aware of tension much more quickly and will therefore be able to release it much more quickly too. Be aware of your breathing. Breathe slowly, deeply and evenly as you do this.

• LAUGH - We all know the old saying 'laughter is the best medicine' and it's true. You will feel so much better after having a really good laugh at something. Because it's contagious laughing will encourage other people to laugh with you and therefore help them to feel great too. Like exercise laughter releases endorphins, it helps to boost the immune system and in general it makes us feel better and therefore happier. Go on - have a good laugh!

• HAVE A GOAL - Set yourself a goal that you must achieve by the end of the day. It can be as small or as large as you like but remember, if it's a tiny goal and easy to achieve then you won't get that feeling of having done something really worthwhile with your day. If it's too big then you probably won't achieve it at all and will therefore feel disappointed with yourself so make it such that you have to make some effort to achieve it but not so much that you feel let down and disappointed because you didn't manage it. For help with setting goals please read my 3 part blog post on The Importance of Setting Goals.

And finally...

• RELAX - Make sure you find some time to relax every day. Because we all lead such hectic lives nowadays many people find it hard to find time to relax but it is important to do it and you owe it to yourself. Relaxing can take many different forms and how you relax depends on the type of person you are. For you it may be reading, writing, doing absolutely nothing, being creative, having a bath, meditating. The list is endless but whatever it is that you do to relax - make sure you take some time to do it every day. Sometimes you may have to be a bit selfish in order to achieve it but there's nothing wrong with that. We all deserve some 'me' time.

Try to follow these 10 tips every day to feel great. You deserve it!


Until the next time,

Image

Denise x